The wind was whipping the buildings around them but Minos' stare seemed to distract her from everything. He was smiling but she knew it wouldn’t be long before he began to fuss at her. She continued to grin, hoping that he would stay calm and smile. Just as she thought, his smile quickly disappeared.

“Just once would you listen to me? Every time that I leave your side you think that I will not return,” Minos said in a quiet, angry whisper. “Why do you think so lowly of me and WHAT are you doing here?!”

His stare was deadly but she knew him too well and was unmoved. It was not very common for people from different lands to travel together and Nina never understood why they stuck together the way that they did. He knew that she felt it was temporary. She crossed her arms and stared back. “Well, how long did you expect me to wait for you?” she rebutted, smugly knowing that he would not want to argue with her.

Their companionship seemed to continue despite how many times she thought that he had finally abandoned her. She frowned at the memories of the many times she would awaken and he would be gone. She would instantly think that he had no intention of returning, but oddly enough, he would always return with food or something that would benefit her. In her opinion, it would have been more beneficial to him if he had just kept it all for himself.

“Whatever, just prepare yourself and stay close. The storm is just beginning,” Minos said, avoiding an argument. He began to look out into the storm. The sounds of screams were in the distance but she knew better than to underestimate the Desperate. They had been separated on many occasions; most often, during times when lost souls became manic in search of magic.

This year seemed worse than years before. More people in the land of Inlustria are becoming a part of the lost soul, dangerously close to becoming a Desperate.

“I had to find you,” She said quietly to him. “I was careful. I swear to you the plan was to wait patiently for you but—.” Under his cloak, Minos sighed. “I know you would do better without me but I just had to catch up because —.” Without speaking, Minos touched his index finger gently to her lips to silence her clumsy exudes, something he did often. He then reached into his cloak. Nina smiled, realizing that he is reaching for a small loaf of Kila bread, a special bread made with pieces of Kila fish, native to Elsyia. He broke it in half and they ate quickly as the desperate moans and screams of the other lost souls echoed through the night. Nina knew that it was important that they found something with charms to fuel their magic. Minos was beginning to weaken. She could always feel his energy around her, but it wasn’t very strong.

Unlike her, he could not go long periods without charms. He also likes to use spells, which makes charms more necessary. There had been times when they had to separate in fear that he would become a lost soul and become a Desparate and attack her. Somehow, he always made it and found her again. She knew that tonight, Minos would have to join in the chaos to restore his magic. Her body shivered as a closer scream shook through the building. She was never really afraid, but she always feared that Minos would be hurt or even killed in an attempt to replenish magic.

“As you know, tonight I must try and find charms and I hope that you will too, for it has been so long since you have had any. I fear that I might lose you,” he said in a whisper.

Shocked that he wanted her to participate, she replied, “But, I do not feel any different other than weakness!”

“I do not care, Nina. You need charms if you are of the lost. It cannot be helped!” Minos was exasperated, but he knew that they both must find charms and soon because they both were becoming so thin that they may turn into the Desperate. “Please, just try. I will protect you”

“I’m not afraid,” She said softly.

“Well, let’s go.”

Swiftly than most, Minos moved through the shadows in the direction of the moving dark figures. Keeping a short distance behind, Nina followed. Instead of going directly into the chaos, Minos leads them to the outer left edge of the buildings surrounding them, careful to draw as little attention to them as possible. He knew that Nina attracted desperate because she smelled of charms. However, since it had been so long since she had charms, her smell was not as noticeable. He could move much faster than he was moving but he had to make sure Nina could keep up. The sounds of the chaotic mass of lost souls feasting on the flesh of the one who had consumed the charms gave him chills. Minos knew that nights like this drew the darkest lost souls out of hiding. The lost are cursed people who were once the Common, the Mid, or even High-Born.

A time ago, there were no lost souls in the Mystics, only the High, Common, and Mid. However, when a war between the neighboring lands of Valsiala started, lost souls were made. Valsiala in its glory was a land of power and plenty. The creatures who ruled it were powerful and stern in their ruling. There was a truce during those times between Valsiala and the Mystics. After 100 years of peace, the truce was broken for an unknown reason and a great war was fought between the two lands.

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The war lasted for only a year because the power held by the High Born families of the Mystics was all too great. The old rulers of Valsiala were all slain at the hands of the High-Born nobles. It is said that in their last moments, the Old Rulers called upon the dark deity of Icotus, father of darkness and pain. They cursed the people of the Mystics. Soon after the war, people from all classes of the Mystics began to lose themselves. Many forgot who they were and their need for charms became crippling. It did not matter if they were High Born or Common, people in each class of the Mystics had lost souls. It spread over the land like a plague, skipping some families and taking entire households. People who did not have charms began to transform into the first of the desperate. Many people were killed by their friends and family during these times. It became even more fearful when some children were born lost souls. These children were abandoned in birthing houses or killed by mothers. The lost souls that were born were the most fearful of all.

Often, children who were born as lost souls had heightened intelligence and an increased need for charms. They survived better than the wild lost souls who did not think very complexly and did not have the power to organize. Lost souls who went mad wandered the lands and many were banished to the Moors. People considered the pure breed lost souls to be the Dark. They consume their need for charms by drinking the blood or eating the flesh of the people with the most charm. They grow and age like normal, but when they reach the ideal age, they maintain the looks of youth and it is said that they are immortal. The Dark is that they do not scavenge for charms as the others. It was a common practice that Dark file their incisor teeth into sharp points and consume charms directly from a person’s life force. Wild lost souls only consume flesh when they go completely mad and transform into desperate. Their appearance is maintained by consuming charms. Most of the Dark consume enough flesh to blend in with the common and some even blend in with the Mid but usually what identifies them is their filed teeth. Whenever a member of the common goes missing, it is suspected that a Dark had attacked them. When a Dark goes a long time without having charms, they begin to wither away just like the wild lost souls. It is said that what makes them immortal is the consumption of flesh. However, regular charms can keep them from withering as quickly. If they hail from High-born, they can use the power of the high-born. On nights like these, the Dark often comes out of hiding and consumes the flesh of the more common-looking lost souls.

Minos continued to move swiftly through the night, glancing back often to make sure Nina was close behind. He knew that she would be the ideal target if any of the Dark decided to show up tonight. Faintly sensing charms, Minos quickly darted into a small alley. Nina quickly followed. The alley was very narrow and the deeper they went the more sure Minos was of the charms. As a precaution, Minos instructed Nina to pile up the bits of rock and trash to form a sort of barrier between them and the alley entrance.

Minos’ sharp senses led him to a small pile of papers and debris, “Nina, come closer” he said in hardly a whisper.” You must drink fast”. The small bottle was almost full and Nina quickly downed half of it and then urged Minos to drink the rest.

“Here, hurry so we can leave!” Minos downed the rest of the bottle and could feel the power surging in him. He could now think even more clearly and his strength was 10 fold.

“Oh, no.” He thought fearfully as he felt the familiar feeling he felt whenever he could feel danger. He urged Nina toward the alley entry and pushed her roughly through the barricade of debris.

“Ow! What are you--,” Nina exclaimed, surprised by Minos’ sudden roughness. As soon as they were both out of the alley, Minos lifted Nina into his arms and ran at a speed so fast the rain felt like bits of rock being thrown at her as it hit her skin. Nina held on tight as an eerie feeling crept over her. She knew something was following them; it was almost as fast as they were.

Minos ran as fast as he could, dodging the wandering lost souls as best he could. He needed to get her inside somewhere. He could feel it was getting closer to them. There was an abandoned inn at the edge of the city, he just had to get it there.

“Where are we going?” Nina asked. Her head was buried in his neck as she tried to keep her face from being hit by the hard rain. Minos' single long silver braid was whipping hard behind them as she looked over his shoulder to see if something was following them. There was something behind them. It was a darkly cloaked figure behind them moving so fast through the rain that she was positive they would catch them. Just as Minos could see the destination, Nina screamed and buried her head deeper into his neck.

If I could just make it to the door! Just as Minos was about to burst through the door, he was yanked hard by his hair and Nina fell from his arms. “GO INSIDE THE INN!” He yelled to Nina as he felt himself fall to the ground. Nina looked back in fear. A beautiful man with long dark hair had grabbed Minos by his hair and was looking at her with a look that made her stomach turn. The man walked slowly towards her, dragging Minos almost effortlessly along with each step. She tried to crawl away but her right leg was in pain from the fall. The man smirked and his eyes seemed to glow red in the night.

“STAY AWAY FROM ME, ” Nina yelled at the man. Crawling back, she moved as best she could to get away from the approaching danger.

“Helita, mesi illi boti. Ill poviti daja,” the man said, smiling and steadily approaching her with his free hand reaching out towards her.

“No! I won’t come to you!” Nina responded and fought through the pain to back away faster.

Wait, I can understand him.

Nina realized that he was not speaking the language of the lost or the common but something completely different.

The man’s smile widened. “Ahhh…I have found her.”

“No!” Minos yelled as he kicked and bucked under the grip of his assailant. “Leave her be!”

Irritated at Minos’ voice, the man stopped and kneeled to the ground, dragging him by the hair closer to his face. “I take no orders from you,” the man spat at Minos. Minos looked angrily into the eyes of the man before pulling his head back harder.

“Nina! Go inside, hurry!” Minos yelled through the pain.

Irritated at the audacity of Minos, the man yanked Minos’ head to the side, exposing his neck. Glancing up at Nina, who was frozen in fear, he smiled mockingly at her and his pointed incisors gleamed in the moonlight. Nina watched in fear.

No! He cannot hurt him!

Minos cried out in agony as she watched the man tear at Minos’ neck. Suddenly words she had never spoken sprang from her lips and Nina was overcome with a feeling she had never felt before and then everything went dark.

The man smiled when he heard the spell he had not heard in over three decades. He quickly darted out of the way of the blast.

I have found her at last.